Mar 15, 2018 at 09:24 PM
Gravel Grinders
Mar 15, 2018 at 09:27 PM
The Vermont Overland looks awesome, but it's probably already sold out.
Mar 15, 2018 at 09:32 PM
Asking is freemugwump said:The Vermont Overland looks awesome, but it's probably already sold out.
Mar 16, 2018 at 05:38 PM
I am no way ready for this one, but it is a classic of the Type 2 fun, especially because the weather can still be pretty bleak in VT that time of year.
http://www.gravelcyclist.com/event/rasputitsa-spring-classic-east-burke-vermont-2018/?instance_id=1982
http://www.gravelcyclist.com/event/rasputitsa-spring-classic-east-burke-vermont-2018/?instance_id=1982
Mar 16, 2018 at 06:08 PM
My tentative schedule this summer in case anyone finds themselves in the "yoop" and is looking for a ride
May 12 Hungry Bear Cable WI
April 14th Mammoth Classic St. Croix Falls WI
May 26th Grand Du Nord Grand Marais MN
June 16th Shewamagananana (sp?) Cable, WI
July 21st Heck Epic Grand Marias MN
Sept 15th Wood Tick Cuyuna MN
Apr 26, 2018 at 02:44 AM
Bringing a knife to a gunfight
Today was Wednesday night, which in this town means Wednesday night worlds.
Today was Wednesday night, which in this town means Wednesday night worlds.
This being my first Wednesday night ride of the season, and sitting on a bit more fitness than I have had recently I figured I'd start my season off right, and dressed light - just bibs/jersey and a vest (this is relevant later).
I though about which bike to bring - it's a gravel ride - and decided that shock and awe would be my choice so I pulled my beautiful orange Giant Propel off the wall and looked at the 25mm road slicks on it. "Perfect," I thought.
The bunch was larger than usual - maybe 15 - and I caught no end of sideye and outright "you know this is a gravel ride right?" Or "don't you have a CX bike?"
"Yeah," I replied "it just wasn't shifting good earlier today." The truth was I just wanted to prove a point in the face of all this endless "gravel bike" hoopla.
The ride started civil, and I continued to catch grief as we rolled out - most guys were dressed in a mismatch of kit, baggy shorts, and hairy legs. Because I believe STRONGLY in #looksharp I had shaved legs, my full KCC kit, POC helmet, glasses and matching Kissena bottles.
The first 20 minutes were social, but hard enough that I needed to take off my vest "Oh thank god your jersey matches your vest" somebody quipped.
Soon enough the local strongman switches his motor to "400 watt cruising speed" and rolls of the front and begins fading away. I was at the back of the pack because the sand had been slippery but I knew from experience last year that there would be no "working together" to get this guy back. He's got an immense engine. My only hope was a bridge.
I jumped after him and began the chase. Incredibly I was closing the gap. Nobody was on my wheel, either.
Fast forward to the celebratory post ride beers (when in Rome) and everyone was suddenly all curious about my bike.
"You rode 25's?!?!"
"You bridged up before you guys rode away?"
"Can I go look at your bike?"
"And you didn't have any trouble on the gravel?"
"What's your name again?"
So: consider KCC and it's sponsors (I'm looking at you, Redbeard!) well repp'd out here in the wind-strewn prairies.
https://www.strava.com/activities/1532048333/segments/38259749168
https://www.strava.com/activities/1532048333/segments/38259749168
Apr 26, 2018 at 03:03 AM
most awesome.
Apr 26, 2018 at 11:09 PM
I likey Jules....
How's bout smashing both a teammates KOM's on a janky old Slingshot ??? Don't say it ain't fast bro!
https://www.strava.com/activities/1533817007
How's bout smashing both a teammates KOM's on a janky old Slingshot ??? Don't say it ain't fast bro!
https://www.strava.com/activities/1533817007
Apr 27, 2018 at 02:27 AM
Jesus Jules what are they feeding you up there?Jules said:Bringing a knife to a gunfight
Apr 27, 2018 at 03:13 AM
Trainer hours... wheelbarrows of them.JohnMalcolmson said:Jesus Jules what are they feeding you up there?Jules said:Bringing a knife to a gunfight
May 03, 2018 at 02:15 PM
Wednesday night Worlds was on like Donkey Kong last night here in the Northlands.
It's not a race, mind you, just a hard group ride.
I rocked up on my freshly washed Propel. This time there was zero trash talk about my matchy-matchy kit. I came ready to throw down and throw down I did. I put them through the ringer - after about 15 minutes of social riding I threw down and hour of attacks, breakaways and general grinding that netted me something like 280 normP for 60 minutes. I was feeling good and it wasn't until about the 90 minute mark when the wheels fell off. I was off on my own with the pack a distant speck behind me when I just - couldn't. I slowed, slowed and slowed some more until I was slaying myself just to sit on.
I got dropped and chased and chased and finally reconnected after a "no drop" wait zone. Even then I was grovelling to stay on the wheel. It was about then that I noticed my front wheel was making a terrible noise. I stopped and gave it a spin. As god as my witness it went a quarter turn and stopped dead.
Apparently the gravel or mud or the vicious gods of cycling had conspired to fark my front wheel into watt-squandering oblivion.
I ground it out for the rest of the ride - sometimes doing 400 watts just to hang on to conversational pace.
I suppose the thing about being cocky is you have to be prepared to eat shit in a very public fashion.
I think it's time to get the Van Dessel cleaned up.
https://www.strava.com/activities/1546220077/segments/38615597544
It's not a race, mind you, just a hard group ride.
I rocked up on my freshly washed Propel. This time there was zero trash talk about my matchy-matchy kit. I came ready to throw down and throw down I did. I put them through the ringer - after about 15 minutes of social riding I threw down and hour of attacks, breakaways and general grinding that netted me something like 280 normP for 60 minutes. I was feeling good and it wasn't until about the 90 minute mark when the wheels fell off. I was off on my own with the pack a distant speck behind me when I just - couldn't. I slowed, slowed and slowed some more until I was slaying myself just to sit on.
I got dropped and chased and chased and finally reconnected after a "no drop" wait zone. Even then I was grovelling to stay on the wheel. It was about then that I noticed my front wheel was making a terrible noise. I stopped and gave it a spin. As god as my witness it went a quarter turn and stopped dead.
Apparently the gravel or mud or the vicious gods of cycling had conspired to fark my front wheel into watt-squandering oblivion.
I ground it out for the rest of the ride - sometimes doing 400 watts just to hang on to conversational pace.
I suppose the thing about being cocky is you have to be prepared to eat shit in a very public fashion.
I think it's time to get the Van Dessel cleaned up.
https://www.strava.com/activities/1546220077/segments/38615597544
May 11, 2018 at 10:54 PM
First race of the year is tomorrow so the Pork Chop Express got a little extra love today.
#CXbikesForevah
#CXbikesForevah
May 11, 2018 at 11:44 PM
what kind o' race?
pretty sure I see Sasquatch in the woods back there
pretty sure I see Sasquatch in the woods back there
May 12, 2018 at 01:35 AM
May 12, 2018 at 02:43 AM
60 or 100?
May 12, 2018 at 08:50 PM
https://forum-archive.kissenacycling.com/discussion/749-p37.html#Comment_98650
Mile 20 group pileup. On the bright side I ate pie cooked by Trudy Tillford in Cable, WI. The shop is called "Tilly's"
Mile 20 group pileup. On the bright side I ate pie cooked by Trudy Tillford in Cable, WI. The shop is called "Tilly's"
May 12, 2018 at 09:02 PM
How's the carbon on the Van Dessel???
May 13, 2018 at 03:46 AM
Looked fine when I checked it briefly. I'll inspect it more carefully in the next couple of days.
May 13, 2018 at 12:37 PM
Teeth and carbon...the one crash proposition
May 13, 2018 at 12:40 PM
Some upgrade options
May 22, 2018 at 12:58 AM
I rode Farmer's Daughter yesterday. There was rain, 22% grades, at leas six types of mud, 65 miles, 6k feet of climbing and a very very welcome beer at the end. So much wetter and sloppier than prior years, but still one of the best run events every year.
May 22, 2018 at 01:17 AM
Mark and I were chatting over the weekend about what that ride would be like this year considering the amount of rain that fell on Saturday. Mud tires I assume......
May 22, 2018 at 02:07 AM
all the off-road sections were super muddy, the rail trail had several water features, the second off-road section that was muddy last year was a 1 1/2 miles of 6 inch deep ruts. All the roads were special kinds of mud and it made some of the tougher climbs even harder, that unique combination of sticky and slippery at the same time.
The grassy final off-road section was really hunting for sacrificial rear derailleurs, spreading layers of mud and torn up grass.
Ice cream at the top of Dean Hill Road was so good!
The grassy final off-road section was really hunting for sacrificial rear derailleurs, spreading layers of mud and torn up grass.
Ice cream at the top of Dean Hill Road was so good!
May 22, 2018 at 12:09 PM
We should plan the "Jim's bootleg dirty apple ride " soon
May 22, 2018 at 05:11 PM
Mark Taylor said:We should plan the "Jim's bootleg dirty apple ride " soon
Would June 10 work for anyone? I'll have to check myself but no local racing that day.
May 26, 2018 at 09:42 PM
Just finished the Grand du Nord. The 66 miler not the 120 mile insanity.
Race report and photo as soon as I've recovered.
3:45 at an average of 245 watts NP.
Race report and photo as soon as I've recovered.
3:45 at an average of 245 watts NP.
May 28, 2018 at 02:17 AM
Grand du Nord 2018
I was awoken by the twin indignities of a 5am thunderstorm (and a leaky tent) and a cold. So strange how "woke up sick" is a thing.
We got ourselves together and found ourselves waiting on the start line in sub 40 degree weather, shivering while listening to the extended preambles of race director & sponsors.
Neutral rollout lasted about 15 minutes at a surprisingly fast clip (19mph) with a combined field (120, 66 and 20 mile racers).
During the rollout I met up with various local riders who all greeted me with "are you ready for the first hill? It's a beast"
I instantly began reciting the Ron Burgundy quote "I regret this decision immediately!" about the 25x11 gearing I had on my CX bike.
The first hill met us as soon as the rollout finished - 2.5 miles at 6% It was 15 minutes at 320 watts.
This is where the selection was made and I didn't have the guts to go deeper and try to make it. Over the top of the hill our chase group collected itself; I saw several strong riders from the Wednesday night ride so I tried not to panic.
The next hour and a half was tough. The chase group pushed every hill and I had to resort to every dirty trick I knew to avoid getting dropped - take shorter pulls, sagging the climbs and gunning it into the downhills before big climbs. Most of the folks around here are MTN bikers so amazingly these tricks worked.
Thankfully we hit a paved stretch where I could choke down a cliff bar and recover a bit. Just before the halfway point we hit another set of long rollers where out chase group started to lose members and my legs started coming around. I wasn't the strongest climber but if I played my cards right I wasn't in danger anymore. The garmin says it had been 90 minutes at a NormP of 280 by this point - I was a bit hammered but still functioning.
Alas - or thankfully - we started seeing signs for "Chase the Chaise" and I knew the photo op was near. When I group rolled up to it guys didn't even get off their bikes - they stopped in front, turned their head and rode off.
I was a mess - arm warmers pulled down as the temps were now in the mid 70's both my vest and jersey were completely unzipped and I needed to dump my knee warmers.
I made the split second decision to #looksharp for KCC and sponsors and watched as the chase group drove on while I hopped out of my warmer kit and tidied myself up.
After the photo I regrouped with a few of the folks who'd been spit out of the chase group - we rode along socially and I helped some guys out who had bonked hard, or run out of water - as there were no aid stations or handups in the 2nd half of the race.
Beer & BBQ after were fantastic, I had to stop on my drive home to take a power nap in a gas station parking lot.
So - not the result I was hoping for but after a "wicked haad" faceplant two weeks ago I was happy my left hand worked well enough to ride hard. My lower back took a lot of punishment - I think most guys are riding wider and softer tires than I am.
Power numbers from 10 to 90 minutes are all within spitting distance of my lifetime bests (2011 if anyone cares).
I thought I had a cold the day of the race but I woke up Sunday SICK AS HELL. Body aches, fever, headcold, the works. I guess I have to be happy with the timing on that one.
Would I do it again? Hell yes.
May 29, 2018 at 02:14 AM
I think 60 on gravel is enough
May 29, 2018 at 12:34 PM
My friend's wife missed the turnoff for the 66 and decided to keep going to do the 120. She finished in 10:10. Folks around here are hard as nails, yo.twoyacks said:I think 60 on gravel is enough
May 29, 2018 at 03:27 PM
May 29, 2018 at 08:09 PM
Is that the “feinting couch” ?